Chapter 96: Collapse

Lake Siniarvede, located in northeastern Poland, is the largest freshwater lake in the country. But if you trace the roots, this lake, together with the Varmia-Mazuri region where it is located, was over four hundred years before the end of World War II - from the Principality of Prussia to the Kingdom of Prussia, the Second German Empire, the Weimar Republic, and the Third German Empire, were all German territory. Until the end of World War II, a large tract of German land became the trophy and invasion of the winner.

The compensation received by the Polish people had obtained this abundant land. By 1948, Poland had dominated the place for less than three years, but due to the great retreat of the Germans at the end of World War II and the immigration policy of the Polish government after the war, the land was still this land, and many towns and villages had more or less retained their original appearance, but the residents became 98% of the Polish people and two percent of other races. The concept of the change of things and people was fully reflected here.

In terms of geographical terrain, Lake Hinialved is like a long-tailed cat with its head facing east and its tail extending from south to thirty kilometers. Both sides of the shore are rich in water and soil, but this 30 kilometers area is only built in the Mikovai infrastructure. If you want to bypass this bridge, you either use the boats on the lake to ferry or walk dozens of kilometers to detour from north to south. During the German period, the highway and railway networks in East Prussia already had a high density and quality. After the Poles took over, they could use it in full with just a little repair. If it was a pleasant driving trip, it would not be a big trouble if it was a more than one or two roads. However, the same problem was placed in front of a chaotic coalition unit with abandoned armor and chaotic trouble!

On May 7, 1948, on the 8th day after the launch of the Soviet "Labor Day Offensive", the Soviet troops that broke through the Allied barriers from the border area between Lithuania and Belarus had approached the Chinialvid Lake District with 3 American divisions, 1 French division, 4 Polish divisions and 11 German regiments affiliated with different commands also retreated to this place after evacuating from the front line. After the stubborn blockade of the Allied Air Force, the Soviet air force's crazy assault in the first few days had been stopped.

This is great news for the allied officers and soldiers. They traveled westward for about fifty kilometers and were the defense zone of the "Polish deep defense line". There are Allied reserve troops that have not been defeated by the Soviet offensive, solid and complete fortifications and mountain of combat supplies, and can obtain strong cover from the Allied Air Force. The soldiers can take a good breath there, slowly forget the nightmare of the front line, and adjust their mentality to compete with the Soviet offensive forces.

"Only the last short distance left", the officers kept encouraging confidence in the way of looking at the plum blossoms to quench their thirst. The fighting spirit and a large number of weapons and equipment were lost in the soldiers in front, but basically every unit looked dirty. Because many transport vehicles were lost on the front line and during the retreat, the assistance from the rear was often congested in some areas, and a large number of soldiers could only rely on their feet to retreat on foot. Those who could get on the car, those who were troubled by bumps and congestion on the car were envious of those who took the train, and those who were injured on the train were extremely envious of those who were healthy walkers. However, these envy and envy would become meaningless because many bridges in the Varmiya-Mazuri area collapsed on the same night.

Without even hearing the explosion, the bad news that the Mikovaiki Bridge, Okatovo Bridge and other bridges were impenetrable due to damage was transmitted to the Allied retreat troops who were just about to start a new day's trip. After a night of rest, the mental outlook of the Allied officers and soldiers finally recovered. The bad news made them feel like they were being beaten up, and the worse situation was still behind: news from the Air Force and the rear guards showed that the Soviet Arrow Force advanced all the way to the Konisburg area, and fought fiercely with the Allied troops in the Womza area, and tactically formed a wing-encirclement. Moreover, since the late stage of World War II, the Soviet attack has made the opponents frightened by lightning as fast as lightning, and no one knows how fast they can be this time - maybe they can cut off the retreat of the Allied troops in this area by supper.

Once the news spreads, the Allied officers and soldiers of different nationalities and different troops are uncontrollably in panic!

At the beginning, people were just worried about the current situation and their own way of retreat. Soon, some people began to judge that the German team deliberately destroyed the bridges. At this time, night aviation technology was still in its initial development stage, and aerial interception guided by radar is still feasible. There is no way to deal with ground targets such as bridges. Therefore, human blasting is the only way. It is just that some bridges such as the Mikovaiki Bridge were indeed guarded by the German team, and the 115th Regiment collective defection incident

It happened recently. Although the Allied Command transferred these German teams from key positions, they were familiar with the bridge garrison and had the potential motivation to surrender to the Soviet army, it seemed that they could not get rid of the suspicion. With the suspects, the officials and soldiers of the alliance were all indignant, and the Allied generals in charge of this combat area also made a decision: after the emergency setting of the pontoon bridge, the German team closest to the pontoon bridge was stationed on the spot, and the troops of other countries passed first!

The surging people were constantly rushing towards the lakeside, and more and more German teams arrived here but could not cross the bridge. On the front line, they had long been accustomed to the different treatments within the Allied forces. The German officers and soldiers gritted their teeth and chose to swallow their anger. However, the Allied soldiers who passed by the German standby location were mocking and insulting them, "You have done your wish", "Soviet lackeys", "Go and shine shoes on the father from Moscow". Such words deeply hurt every German officer and soldier who had both innocent and clear conscience. After being wronged, they had to face such humiliation and provocation. The endurance of ordinary people has been oppressed to the extreme. Later that day, two new pontoon bridges were set up under the efforts of the US and German engineering units, and the retreat speed of the stranded troops was greatly improved. At dusk,

The Soviet vanguard troops that followed finally approached the Allied defenders. The shells fired by large-caliber artillery began to fall on the east shore of the lake and even near the pontoon bridge, and at this time more than 20,000 German officers and more than 10,000 Polish soldiers had not crossed the bridge yet. For many German officers and soldiers who had personally participated in the Eastern Front war or heard their companions talk about the details of the battle, the process and ending of the War of the Cerkass in the Steel Pocket War evoked their infinite sorrow. These brave German soldiers did not collapse. They silently consolidated their positions under the leadership of the officers and prepared to fight the final battle with their only weapons and ammunition. When they looked back, they saw the busy scene of the Polish army crossing the bridge. During this period, many people were actually squeezed into the lake by their compatriots, and they just responded with contempt...

The sky was dark, and the sound of tank advancement was gradually approaching. If skillful and skillful ground-air cooperation could be used, the German troops could also guide the Allied Air Force to delay the Soviet attack with fierce bombing. However, the Allied Command did not seem to have planned to spend a lot of effort to save these German soldiers who might be out of control at any time. The US engineers had already placed ** on the pontoon bridge. The order they received was that no matter how many German troops there were before they could retreat, they would detonate ** as soon as the Soviet tanks approached the pontoon bridge. The German engineers involved in the bridge deliberately obstructed but were rejected by the US military, so that some

German engineers left the troops and rushed to report to the German troops stranded on the east coast. The last batch of Polish troops had already crossed the bridge. As long as they were organized properly, 20,000 German troops could use three crossing bridges to quickly evacuate. However, the German regiments did not receive the order from the superior command to retreat. Instead, the supplies, wounded and rear guards that were originally behind rushed onto the pontoon bridge in a mess. The most ironic thing is that the German regiment that arrived here first had been stranded on the east coast of the lake for ten hours by this time. Even if they were marching on foot, the time was enough for them to walk around the lake.

The German generals were angry, and the German soldiers were angry. Since joining the Allies' camp to fight against the Soviet Union, they have always been divided into the most difficult areas of attack and the most difficult defense. They have the worst equipment and the least supplies. They have no rewards for making meritorious service and death, and have failed. The dignity and honor of soldiers have been trampled on again and again. Even without all kinds of rumors about the Free Empire, they will not be willing to sink into it. In this case, when the appearance of Soviet tanks brought not deadly guns but people who were persuading surrendering with white flags, the German commanders walked out of the position with their heads held high and asked the Soviet army to give them absolute guarantees for entering the Free Empire to fight.

The Soviets agreed, and seven German regiments that failed to retreat to the west bank of Lake Hiniardevid in time all laid down their weapons. If the matter was concluded, then the only 20,000 German officers and soldiers who were lacking heavy equipment were turned to fight against the Allies. However, as soon as they learned that the German army did not open fire on the Soviet army approaching the position, the Allied commander ordered the artillery on the West Bank to open fire on the German defense zone, and the US and British fighters also carried bombs and incendiary bombs to bomb overnight.

In the absence of hundreds of Germans, they had time to leave their positions or fall on their way to the Soviet army's designated assembly area, the commanders of these German regiments were angry. They obtained the Soviet army's permission to send a joint telegram on the German Defense Forces' contact frequency through the military radio station, accusing the Allied forces of alleged injustice, and calling on their former colleagues to stop fighting for the Allied forces, and instead heading to the country that truly represents the will and beliefs of the soldiers - the Free Empire of Northern Scandinavian!

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Chapter completed!